Texas – A Texas woman was sentenced on Friday to ten years’ confinement in prison. She had pleaded guilty earlier this year to the charge of injury to a chiId. This conviction stems from her role in the tragic death of her ado ptive chiId, 7-year-old Trroy KoehIer, in July 2022.
The fatal incident occurred in the family’s home in Texas. The victim was reported missing by the woman after she returned home from work at 5 a.m.. Officers arrived and conducted interviews with the child’s parents, the woman and her husband, Jemmaine (SEE PHOTO). Both were initially taken into custody and appeared in court the following day. Four months later, the parents were charged with the child’s death after court records revealed graphic text messages detailing how the man said he was going to kill the 7-year-old.
Investigators later discovered that the child had been subjected to chronic abuse. Prosecutors stated that the mother contributed to this abuse by failing to protect the victim from her husband and, in some instances, mistreating and hurting him herself. Texas Child Protective Services had previously investigated the family twice for physical abuse before the boy’s murder. Records revealed that the school had alerted officials after noticing facial bruises on Troy.
The woman and her husband stated they hadn’t seen the child since the previous evening.
Deputies conducted an initial search of the home and surrounding area, utilizing drone aircraft and canine units. After over an hour without success, they returned to the residence for a more thorough search. At approximately 7:10 a.m., a deputy searching the garage area peered through the lid of the top-loading Iaundry appIiance and observed the child’s lifeless body inside. The child was fully clothed, and the washing machine appeared to have been used recently, as there was bIood present both inside the appliance and elsewhere in the garage.
The investigation revealed that the victim’s adoptive father had inflicted the fatal injuries. Court documents indicated that the child suffered from asphyxiation, blunt-force trauma, and possible drowning. An autopsy confirmed that the victim had sustained both new and prior injuries, leading to his death being ruled a homicide.
Investigators later uncovered disturbing evidence indicating a pattern of abuse. Court documents revealed graphic text messages between the couple, in which the man expressed intentions to harm the child over minor infractions, such as eating snacks. Prosecutors stated that the woman contributed to this chronic abuse by failing to protect the child from her husband and, in some instances, mistreating and hurting him herself. Texas Child Protective Services had previously investigated the family twice for physical abuse before the child’s murder. Records revealed that the school had alerted officials after noticing facial bruises on the victim.
The 45-year-old man was charged with capital murder and later pleaded guilty to murder. He was sentenced to fifty years in prison for his role in the child’s death. During the investigation, both parents reportedly told responding officers that the child had been playing outside and had gone missing. However, further evidence and the discovery of the child’s body inside a washing machine contradicted their statements. The investigation revealed that both parents had been involved in the abuse and neglect leading to the child’s death.